Japan Caves In To Chinese Pressure: Releases Trawler Captain

The Chinese trawler captain who was arrested for ramming two Japanese coast guard patrol ships is going to be released without any charges:

The Naha District Public Prosecutors Office said Friday that it has decided to free a detained Chinese fishing boat captain involved in collisions at sea early this month near a chain of disputed islets.

The Chinese captain was arrested on Sept. 8 by Japanese investigative authorities on suspicion of causing his ship to collide with a Japan Coast Guard vessel near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.

Japan has been deemed overwhelmingly the loser in the strange game of chicken that’s been escalating between Beijing and Tokyo over the past week — at least judging from a sampling of the immediate vitriolic reaction toward Tokyo in the virtual world.

In the seconds after Japan announced it would release the Chinese ship captain who has been in Japanese custody, Tokyo’s decision was lambasted as weak and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan as unable to govern.

“This nation really does not have foreign policy and has no ability…it’s a shame that [Japan] easily gave up their last cards. They [Chinese] are shaking us up badly,” moaned one person on Twitter. Another said more simply: “How do you say ‘cave’ in Chinese?” Yet another tweeted: “Due to the DPJ, democracy and the notion of a nation’s sovereignty are about to be lost. I’m amazed to see their inability to govern. They’re worse than the LDP which was in power before.”

Ever gentlemanly, an official from the Okinawa prosecutors’ office said at a hastily called press conference Friday afternoon: “We decided it was inappropriate to continue the investigation while keeping the suspect in custody any further, considering the future of the Japan-China relationship,”

Japan had originally insisted that it would not allow foreign political pressure to decide how its prosecutors enforce the law within Japanese territory, but it looks like they weren’t prepared to stick to their principals. It sends a clear message to China: the next time it wants Japan to cave in and do its bidding, it need only throw a big tantrum and detain a few Japanese citizens.

Hopefully, the fact that the prosecutor’s office will no be taking this case to trial will mean that the videotape of the ramming can now be shown to the general public. We might at last be able to put aside the controversy over who rammed who, although it doesn’t much matter anymore because the Japanese government proved to be too cowardly to enforce its own laws within territory it claims is part of Japan.

It just shows that China is spoil kid from Asia.
It is because of this reason and other reasons that the Chinese image in Japan is negative. Nobody really cares and respect the Chinese. Such threaten from the Chinese government just show how childish is their behaviour.

How they want to be respected if they do such imature behavior?

People around the world love Japan because the Japanese know how to behave and have good manners in all areas.

helical

I’m afraid nobody is going to be respecting Japan either if it’s so spineless that it can’t stand up for itself for the most basic and clear-cut of issues like this.

Kevin not kevin

Japan didn’t really have many options in this situation. They should have prosecuted the captain, but now they have 4 nationals detained in China, and they would have little room for bargaining if the Senkaku case moved forward.

Personally, I don’t think Japan lost much face in this matter. They showed the world the bullying tactics China will take, they showed that Japan is serious about its borders, and they get to look like the good guys for releasing the captain.

On the other hand, China has proven that it will resort to cheap tricks, lying, and rampant nationalism to enforce its views, and with the added rumor that China had banned the export of rare metals because of this, I’ve already seen a lot of talk in the US about restarting rare metal mining operations.

Let’s face the facts. Most people don’t really trust China at all, but since they manufacture all our goods we have little say in the matter. But a couple more situations like this and you’re going to see a mass exodus away from China toward safer markets. We’re already seeing that now.

Magus

Japan is the #2 most liked country in the world, second only to Germany by an extremely slim margin. People respect Japan’s polite demeanor.

Morten

Could you give a link to enforce that claim? Sounds interesting:)

ponta

Germany is the most favourably viewed nation (an average of 59% positive), followed by Japan (53%), the United Kingdom (52%), Canada (51%), and France (49%).

Some people like Japan because of the anime/pop culture too, There are some who love it so much that they blindly support them no matter what situation. sad really.

helical

What. The. Crap.

After all this time, they choose to chicken out NOW?
It’s almost as if it were already decided that they were going to “cave-in” a long time ago, and that they were just waiting for the right excuse. “Well they have hostages now!”

Mister M

I think Japan-US should make a base over there so that other problems regarding the Chinese will not occurr again.

If it were Koizumi, certainly that Chinese would stay more days on prison, plus he would be subject to investigation. But unfortunatelly Japan is under a poor government that act like cowards.

Pete

Oh bull, that would incite much of the Chinese population, including in Hong Kong, overseas, Taiwan.

Hell, you don’t want another repeat of 2005 multiplied, resources cut off, attacks on Japanese tourists, properties etc. Leave Koizumi in the past.

Mister M

Japan should stop donating 6 trillion dolars to China and with this money invest in Japan.

Plus Japan should restart the new relation to Taiwan instead of China. At least Taiwan will know what to do with the Japanese money.

http://www.sakatland.com/japan Sakat

I don’t think China would really be that affected by stopping commerce with Japan. But Japan?

Mister M

Japan – The US – India – Canada – Europe

Vs

PRC

redpanda

europe? let us alone, we have anything agains china …

Rob A

China screws Europe too, you just don’t get as much feedback on it as other continents.

I saw a documentary a couple years back about how China’s allowance of intellectual and manufacturing plagiarism costs Germany alone 2% of its export revenue.

Terence

Probably you would not survive in this war

Rob A

When asked what kind of weapons World War III would be fought with, Einstein responded, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

With the government debt reaching 200% of the GDP, Japan cannot finance the war with China.
Japan had no alternative but to chicken out. At the end of WW2, the total amount of the Japanese government bonds issued reached 190% of the GDP. Japan has already lost the war to China even before engaging in battle.

http://www.sakatland.com/japan Sakat

That’s without comparing the current armies ^^

http://ameblo.jp/charlottes-adventure/ miss_igirisu

or the leggies….

Michael

Wow. If this doesn’t Prove that the Japanese government is powerless and needs America’s military umbrella, nothing will.

yankdownunder

What umbrella? Both Obama and Hilary said this is not our problem. They
said we don’t know who these islands belong to and Japan and China should
work it out.

This should show the Japanese that they cannot depend on USA and they
should maintain their own defences like all other nations do. It’s time
to tell GI Joe to go home.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I do think that Japan should not expect the United States to protect the Senkakus, but Hillary has said that America would consider it Japanese territory in the event of a Chinese attack:

The Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea are covered by the Japan-U.S. security pact that allows for Washington to retaliate against a military strike on Japanese territory, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara on Thursday amid rising tension between Japan and China over the islands….

“U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said after the talks that the secretary’s response to the minister’s explanation on the issue was “simply to encourage dialogue and hope that the issue can be resolved soon since the relations between Japan and China are vitally important to the regional stability.”
…
“Crowley said Washington does “not take a position on the sovereignty of the Senkakus” but expects “the two mature countries are fully capable of resolving” the row.”

Nice out of context there. If you read the entire article, it is very clear what Crowley said, and what the US’s stance is.

Just to make it even more clear, here it is again, from a different source:

“U.S. State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley told a news conference that the Japan-U.S. security alliance covers the Senkaku Islands. The treaty obliges the U.S. to defend Japan against an armed attack by another country. The Senkaku Islands have been under the administrative control of the government of Japan since they were returned as part of the reversion of Okinawa in 1972. Article 5 of the 1960 U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security states that the treaty applies to the territories under the administration of Japan.”

Just because the US government thinks that the Japanese government can handle the _diplomatic_ aspects of resolving the sovereignty of the islands without US interference, does not mean that the US wont _militarily_ help Japan defend the islands from intrusion.

Two entirely different things that are not mutually exclusive.

Moe Fyre

You tell G.I. Joe to go home, Yankdownunder? Think its safe to say you’re probably not a Yank and you probably haven’t put much thought into that statement. What will Japan do when China becomes on par in economic and military stature with the U.S.? Japan is surrounded by enemies, they are the most universally hated amongst the East Asian nations. This is a fact. History and blood feuds die hard in East Asia. North Korea and China will most certainly be willing to wage total war with Japan, if necessary. You can throw South Korea into the mix as well, as no Korean will ever allow a rearmed Japan to invade, occupy, or become the dominant force on the peninsula once again. Without a common ally in the US, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines etc. will inevitably be incorporated into a new Sinosphere. Now ask yourself, what will life be like in 10-20 yrs. without the U.S.? China will become the unquestioned leader both militarily and economically in Asia and Japan will inevitably have to arm herself with nuclear weapons, triggering a massive arms race in East Asia. Without the U.S. presence in the Pacific to check China’s growing clout, World War 3 will not be far off. This incident more than anything, reinforces the need for the U.S. to be the balancing power in the region for years to come. Don’t get me wrong, the U.S. is here to serve its own interests above all else. We love money. But you must realize that, while the US will not defend Japan over petty disputes concerning tiny uninhabited islands (Kuril, Dokdo, Senkaku), it will ultimately protect and defend Japan when it counts, in order to maintain its own vested interests and influence throughout the region. But of course if it was up to you, those evil American G.I. Joes would be expelled from Japan, right?

Q: Chinese Premier Wen in New York on Tuesday threatened action against Japan if it didn’t return the captain of the ship. I’m wondering, does the U.S. security umbrella extend to the Senkakus — the Senkaku islands?

ADM. MULLEN: I think we’re watching those — that tension very, very carefully, and certainly our commitment to the region remains. And, you know, we’re hopeful that the political and diplomatic efforts would reduce that tension specifically, and haven’t seen anything that would, I guess, raise the alarm levels higher than that. And obviously we’re very, very strongly in support of, you know, our ally in that region, Japan.

SEC. GATES: And we’ll — and we would fulfill our alliance responsibilities.

“But you cut out the first two words, “In August”. Now why would you do that?”

A fair question, and I have an excellent answer for you. Because THAT’S the difference between leaving out irrelevant information, and taking something out of context. He said that in August, which means that the US was ALREADY committed to defending those islands. Had he said it yesterday, or a year ago, it doesn’t matter, because the US’s stance is unchanged.

“… a proper decision … Japan should do what China wants”

That what you read? Because I read “We believe this will significantly reduce tensions”. You didn’t even omit it this time, yet you still failed to recognize it.

“…a proper decision…to reduce tensions.”

America chose to support Japan by stating they will militarily defend those islands before during and after this incident, and now is STILL choosing to support Japan by not undermining their diplomatic decisions.

Nice try though. Fox News would be proud of your technique.

Moe Fyre

Any rebuttal, Yankdownunder? On one hand you complain of US not being assertive enough in defending Japan concerning this relatively minor diplomatic dispute (which shows you seek their support and approval). Then you turn around and cite this incident as evidence that the US is really not on Japan’s side and that they should leave Japan. Please enlighten me with your logic. While you’re at it, maybe you can actually rebut my post above and tell me what would happen, in your estimation, if the US were to leave Japan.

david

Pathetic.

Terence Tong

Of course this is a good thing.
You guys want a war or something?
Do you want your father to be killed. Your sister got raped. Your house get burned down?
I dont.

No country can win a war these days. What a war does is just destruction. In the end, no one is the winner.
Just take a look at how a small country like Iraq gives so much headache to the “superpower” United States

Come on now. Hatred bear only more hatred. It is not about who is the chicken, who is caving in. That’s not how wise, mature people handle things. Very impressed by Japan being so mature.

Peace

Stereo

Do you know what justice is? No one should evade from justice by threatening a war.

Terence

Justice comes with a price.
This price is quite hugh I would say. Not something you and I can afford.
Think about the consequence.

Would you argue with a customer? and get fired because you later receive a complaint?
Would you argue with your sprouse, and get a divorce later?
This is pretty much the same thing.
Your life for a island that we dont give a damn to. Does that worth it?

ittekimasu

Obviously it’s worth something. As stated there are possibly deposits of gas in which China and Japan are investigating. And if War has taught us anything, it’s all about the money rather than the morals or the consequences. We’ve got two nations trying to grab one piece of land, and something is going to happen about it.

Whether you like it or not.

Stereo

The name of someone who caves in everything is a loser.

Quasimodox

It is a good thing to not have wars, but it is not a good thing (to use war) to threaten another country. Don’t summarize the two and call the situation good.

ittekimasu

Nice one Japan!

You really showed the Chinese how you enforce the law! Next time I’m sure they will think twice before sending even more boats to ram into yours. Before you know it, North Korea will start ramming your boats along with them.

ita-man

You try putting a brave face and standing your ground when you know that a number of your citizens have been detained.

vonskippy

So in order to protect 4 citizens who stuck their noses in a place they didn’t belong in a Country that’s not exactly “best buds” with their own you think it’s best that Japan bows low and kisses China’s ass?

As every school kid in the world (except of course Japan) knows, you don’t run from a bully – you sucker punch them in the gut the first opportunity you get.

helical

If you actually believe that the four detained were committing some sort of act of espionage … you mentioned something about a sucker?

Stereo

In the quote from WSJ, it should be Okinawa prosecutors office rather than Osaka. It seems WSJ has corrected their article.

helical

I did a bit of digging, and came across this blog, which provides some interesting insight into the thought process behind the string of actions on both sides.

It’s a long article so I won’t translate it word for word, but I’ll try my best to sum it up in a length appropriate for a blog comment.

In ordinary circumstances, the judiciary system getting involved in foreign affairs is absurd, but this particular incident may have some additional background to it.

Most people may see Japan crumbling in front of unwarranted and unfair pressuring from China, but talk of an export ban of rare earth metals to Japan being reported in the NYT, and then being very quickly denied by the government indicates a “match pump” situation, and the arbitrary arresting of foreign nationals in China under the pretext of national security is a familiar sight and is not particularly special for this occasion. Indeed, that China had to resort to childish tactics may indicate some frustration at being unable to communicate effectively with the current DPJ regime.

There is a clear pattern of how China invades, occupies, and makes foreign waters its own. As can be seen with the Paracel Islands when US forces moved out of Vietnam, the Spratly Islands when Russian forces withdrew from Da Nang, or the Mischief Reefs when the US withdrew from the Philippines, China will attempt to occupy the Senkaku Islands if the United States withdraws from Okinawa. The previous examples show that China always escalates starting with fishing vessels, then survey ships, then finally warships. Thus, it could be said that China is merely following its own protocols in having fishing vessels constantly overstepping the territorial boundaries near the Senkaku Islands which it views as its own.

Normally, it’s the daily job of Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels to chase away these fishing boats, but the DPJ in their inexperience, perhaps overreacted when faced with an irregularity like a boat that didn’t run away immediately when confronted. Indeed, it could be surmised that the recent troubles the DPJ had in cooperating with the United States had given the signal to the Chinese navy that the time was ripe to go one step further in testing the waters. The Chinese military is always keenly interesting in how the commitments of the United States to Japan shifts concerning the Japan-US Security Pact.

This situation in this case escalated to where the United States reaffirmed that ALL Japanese territory was subject to the alliance, but the Chinese government (in contrast to the military) would rather have not let the situation progress so far. They are more concerned with domestic anti-Japanese movements catching fire and then spontaneously turning into an anti-CCP movement or both rolled into one bundle of civil unrest.
The Chinese side had expected the captain to be returned at once as usual, but somehow the DPJ didn’t react as expected and detained the captain as well as withholding video evidence. If the captain confesses to a connection with the Chinese navy or the video is uploaded to Youtube for the world to see, the Chinese military would then act even more aggressively to save face, and would not be controllable by the government.
Already, China has tested its territorial ambitions in the South China Seas angering the involved nations, and triggered the United States stepping up to back those nations up. It wouldn’t want to see the same thing happening to Japan any more than it is already.

Perhaps with these volatile backgrounds, the Japanese government had been talked into cutting the full 29-day detention period short by 5 days and letting the captain go by the United States. Clues to this can be seen in the wording of the explanation citing “diplomatic reasons”.

I think the fact that China is an expansionist state constantly testing its neighbors is the underlying root cause of these problems, but at least this article gives some insight into why Japan capitulated at this point in time.

helical

Some corrections and additions.

It’s not a 29-day detention period, but the detention period is initially 10 days with another 10 day extension with court approval, and would have lasted until the 29th.

According to the show, it has been reported that the Commander of the 7th fleet and the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet visited an MSDF base in Yokosuka on the 10th, just two days after the initial incident on the 8th. They warned Japanese officials that “to act like adults (i.e. trying not exacerbate the situation by making exceptions or letting them go) will only make you eventually lose the Senkaku Islets, and eventually all of Okinawa”. (7:20 of the second vid).
So the US talking to Japan behind the scenes to defuse the situation seems like only unfounded ponderings by the blog owner (assuming the US side is united and synchronized in its position and dealings)

cavein

Have you ever thought of the possibility that the JCG were too aggressive in blocking the trawler? Hence the case against the captain is very weak?
…therefore, the Okinawa prosecutor decided, based on such evidence, to release him?

After all, the JCG rammed into a Taiwanese boat and sunk it not long ago.

Stereo

What is sickening is the role of Cabinet Secretary Mr Sengoku in this fiasco.http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20100924-00000080-jij-pol
He said to the press that he consented to the report of release of the captain prepared by the prosecutors based solely on legal point of view and that he reported to the PM Kan only after the decision was finalized. However, the prosecutors in Okinawa told the press that their decision was based on diplomatic consideration, revealing the big lie by the Cabinet Secretary.

Then here comes the Justice Minister Mr Yanagida who is responsible for the conducts of prosecutors.http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20100924-00000597-san-pol
He said to the press he was not involved in this case. I just cannot believe someone who is not involved in this fatally important case is the Justice Minister of this country.

http://tepido.org/ LB

I would be far more concerned if a politician, even in his role as justice minister, was involved in telling the public prosecutor’s office how to do their job.

That is how China operates, not how a free society and democracy operates.

Stereo

It is clearly stated in 検察庁法 (Law of Public Prosecutors Office) that Justice Minister has the final say as to the decision of indictment. This provision is intended to reflect the peoples will through elected politician, since Japan does not have grand jury system.

LB, in this case, the prosecutors told the press that they released the suspect because of diplomatic concerns. I do not think prosecutors should go out of their way to make any diplomatic decision, especially this big decision, without consulting competent politicians.

http://tepido.org LB

Maybe I missed it, but I just looked up the 検察庁法, and all I could find about the Justice Minister in there was administrative stuff about making sure the prosecutors are doing their job, that competent people get posted, incompetent people removed etc. as being the ultimate responsibility of the Justice Minister.

Nevertheless I am sure that, somewhere, in some law, it does indeed say that the Justice Minister does have “final responsibility” or “final say” in indictments. But its symbolic – like saying every application for naturalization is “approved by the Justice Minister”. What is meant is “approved by the competent/relevant authorities of the Justice Ministry, acting under the auspices of and in the name of the Justice Minister”. The Justice Minister has neither the time nor ability to personally review every indictment, every dismissal, every application for naturalization, every visa application and everything else the Justice Minister has “final powers of decision” on. And even if s/he did somehow have that much time and energy, s/he shouldn’t check every single thing and sign off on it. That is what s/he has subordinates for.

The Justice Minister’s (or any Cabinet Minister’s) real function is to be the elected official in charge of making certain that the various laws created in the Diet are properly promulgated and enacted within his/her ministry, and that whatever internal ministry actions or postings are needed to accomplish that are done.

An elected official should not be sticking their nose into this or that criminal case being handled by the prosecutors. If it turns out that the prosecutors are blatantly failing in their jobs and responsibilities, then and only then should elected officials get involved. The legal process must run its course free of political interference.

All of that said, yes, the prosecutors should not have cited diplomatic concerns in their reasoning for releasing the captain. And, Stereo, they did not say that they “released him because of diplomatic concerns”. They said they released him because of the nature of the offense, that it was his first offense, that he had admitted to his actions, etc. and then, and only then did they utter the fateful words “besides all of that, there are the issues of China-Japan relations, what is in the best interests of the (Japanese) people, and in the best interests of the country” etc. They should have skipped that whole section, because all they did is give people like yourself a chance to selectively quote them as saying they “did it out of diplomatic concerns” and ignore all the rest.

Hamachiman

It really didn’t matter what Japan did, it wouldn’t ‘win’ either way.

If it had tried to charge the captain and whatnot, certainly Chinese government would have pulled no punches in furthering its anti Japan campaign, and subtle and not so subtle encouragement of its citizens to engage in even more intense anti Japan rhetoric.

But in totally caving in, Japanese government is ABSOLUTELY fooling itself if it thinks doing so is going to earn the ‘respect’ or ‘friendship’ of the Chinese government and some of its citizens. To them it doesn’t matter if Japan grovels or bows before the citizens of China, the Japanese will still be and forever considered as bigoted, hateful, xenophobic, and ‘war denying past’ hate mongers.

Maybe there is a little shining light in that the world will finally see the bully that China is in world affairs and that Japan is NOT the xenophobic war mongering peoples it loves to promote the idea of. But I highly doubt it. As someone has pointed out before, it’s all about money and China is number 2 economy in the world. Money talks and no one wants to piss them off. And Japan will always has that stink of WW2 attached to it in the world media.

Pathetically ridiculous.

Stranger

Hamachiman wrote:

And Japan will always has that stink of WW2 attached to it in the world media.

Say what? It’s Germany that is always used as the WW2 punching bag by the world media and the Hollywood establishment. Japan was always given a bit of a free pass outside of China and Korea. At worst many see the Japanese as those shy, sometimes weird people who gave the world Hondas and Playstations. Me thinks you doth protest too much.

As for finally seeing China as a big bully, I think some Vietnamese have been screaming that for ages now. However I was surprised to see some pictures of Taiwanese flags being waved during one of the anti-Japanese protests. I thought Taiwan and Japan where on really good terms?

RogV

I hate china for this, but I also hate Japan for “caving” in. it’s looks like the DPJ won’t last long after this. Japan needs a good leader with a strong backbone with spines, or else the Japanese govt would be treated as second-rate citizens by China.
I wonder how many Japanese people right thinks: “We ought bring those in charge down and make them scrub my toilet!”

Where is the samurai? the Yamato-damashii that I so admired about Japan?! Is this the fate of the country I so respected and admired from afar?

LOD

Japanese voters always choose their leaders according to domestic matters. Koizumi was not selected because of Yasukuni, but postal privatization. DPJ did not win because of Futenma, but Kodomo-teate. I don’t think their attitude change in near future.
After all, even before this incident, we knew China would act like this. Yet Japanese chose pro-Beijing DPJ.

Where is the samurai? the Yamato-damashii that I so admired about Japan?

They are all dead after 1945.
The modern Japan is, like it or not, pacifist. Sometimes pathetically.

flowby

These actions by China – other than being totally predictable and lacking in any notion of admirable diplomacy – are possibly being mainly conducted for Chinese domestic politics.

A lot of manouvering is taking place at the moment with Hu & Wen puffing themselves up challenging each others bravado. The BIG party event is coming up in October.

Easiest way to show strength(postured) to the comrades is to find a whipping boy and whip him good. Also sends a message to the locals – don’t anyone get any ideas coz we’re in control here.

And Japan by releasing the captain, actually refused to play their game of escalation.

Too often people mistake sensitive insight with cowardice. Especially the Puffed Up ones.

Greengreen

Agreed! Japan’s refusing to play China’s game is the best course they could have taken.

carala

will this cause the Japanese prime minister to resign?

if so, who will become the next prime minister?

carala

I wonder what China will do to Japan if all US troops leave Japanese soil?(including Okinawa)

Anon

SMAP does have to perform in China after all. Can’t ahve those fans waiting!

Ruru

I wonder, which would Japanese people prefer; losing face or fear?

http://www.billowykimono.com Senor Science

So Japan should let themselves be tested and pushed around by a belligerant neighbor just for the sake of the almighty Yen?

I don’t think that’s quite right…

http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com Peter Joseph

I think all of this blows.

Greengreen

Japan made the right choice here. The Chinese government is playing a dangerous game that has much more to do with their waning control over their own people in the face of greater economic freedoms than with desires for territorial expansion. For decades the Chinese government has used Japan as a scapegoat and whipped up anti-Japan sentiment in order to distract the Chinese people from the real source of their misery–the government itself. But as more and more Chinese tourists and students visit Japan and then go home and clamor for democratic reforms while losing some of their anti-Japan ardor, the government can’t afford to lose face or appear weak in front of their own people, so they very quickly escalated the situation. If Japan had continued to escalate as well, they would leave the Chinese government with no alternative but to commit to war if they didn’t want to lose their grip on power completely.

But Japan gave China an out that allowed them to maintain the status quo in their own country while avoiding a war that they almost certainly do not want. And at the same time, the Chinese methods have been exposed for all the world to see. Maybe this will cost the DPJ some more elections, but the Japanese people have not been affected negatively, while war with China would be disastrous to the Japanese way of life.

So let the nerds whine on 2ch and Twitter. Those who can take a broader view of the situation will certainly see that Japan acted in the best interest of its people. China hasn’t won this round, and they’ll keep trying bullying tactics as they struggle to maintain their ever-weakening grasp on power, but the communist government’s days are numbered.

As it has been mentioned in James’ article, China had no territorial disputes whatsoever over the Senkaku Islands with Japan until some UN survey ships found gas deposits in the 60’s, and then suddenly it was a part of China that Japan was unlawfully occupying.
Japan’s stance is that basically, these ridiculous claims amount to no case on the Chinese side, and that there is no dispute to begin with. To even treat it as disputed territory would lend legibility to China’s claim. (Ironically, South Korea is taking this position in refusing to take the Takeshima dispute to the ICJ, but I digress)

If Japan was truly confident that the Senkaku Islands were Japanese territory, they should have taken the captain to court and prosecuted him in the same way as if he’d rammed a police car with his pickup truck in the middle of a busy Ginza intersection and was caught without a visa or a passport.
Now, there could have been ways to handle this in a low-key fashion and scoot the captain back to China quickly and discreetly without attracting attention, but once it turned into the big bonanza that it had and attracted the attention of the world, there should have been no legitimate way to handle this other than to follow the full course of the due process of law.

Also, it’s China’s game to plan in very long terms of territorial ambitions, which very often takes the form of gradually eroding a targeted area’s sovereignty with increasing harassments until China is in de facto control of said area. Giving way to China for fears of escalating a situation and “acting mature” is likely exactly what China wants the other guy to do. Go ask the various countries neighboring the South China Sea if you have any doubts.

You cite the bigger picture, but it all depends … do you consider principles like democracy and rule of law to be more or less important than the unpleasantries of international disagreements? Is appeasing an unreasonable neighbor today more important than sticking to your guns and not setting dangerous precedents in the long term?

helical

lend legibility to China’s claim.

Cripes, my brain is asleep.
That would be me confusing and combining “legitimacy” and “credibility” into one word.

http://sibylleito.wordpress.com/ Sibylle ITO

From my viewpoint this kind of incidents become especially important, when considering the outline and the content of “The next 100 years” by George Friedman. I wish from the bottom of my hear a different outcome. What do you think?

Jerry

If Japan wants to enforce its own laws on Japanese territory, it must have a strong physical back like a strong army to back it up that. No one wants to threaten a country that has its own army back up into it knowing that it will cause more problems than one that doesnt. America could’nt do pretty much nothing, as they have their own interests in mind. Pretty much Japan is on its own without a weapon to defend itself.

Stereo

I think the concerns of Japanese government were more of economic than of military.
It seems their decision did not improve anything though.

japanobserver

This incident is a major blow for Japan politically and yes, the Japanese and most of the West will shake their heads in disgust at how the Japanese gave in to appeasement. However, in looking at realpolitik nature of the whole scenario, there is no way the Japanese can win. In a list I will refer to two:

The Japanese economy- a fundamentally weak aspect of Japan. The Japanese for decades focused heavily on value added goods and undercut its main competitors by accessing the cheapest resources to build them. Electronics, particularly for consumer use, while it has substantial returns on investment, is easily emulated by any nation with a higher education (SK and soon to be China). With this source of revenue tumbling with heightened competition and over reliance on rare earth metals, which China controls 97% of the market resources, this means that Japan is reliant on an unfriendly country for resources substantially important for it’s economy. There is a long term solution. While it may hurt the Japanese tremendously, Japan would do well to diversify it’s industries and cultivate business prospects other than electronics and cars. These are the cash cows but relying mostly on those industries for wealth will lead to trouble. A smaller but diversified economy is much preferable to a large economy which relies on the stability of your bitter rival.

America: the symbol of western decline- The United States, once a proud and mighty nation, is losing clout in international policy in it’s rapid decline. It does boast a large economy, but it has granted China a favored nation status during the Clinton years, leading to massive deficits against the Chinese. Now Obama may be trying to rally American exporters and reverse the trends, but the damage is pretty much irreversible. Also, what most people need to realize is that America is a nation like any other, one with many interests it will go far to protect… as well as abandon. When one interest outweighs another, America has a tendency to bow out of a cause it claimed to commit to. For example, between Taiwan and China, Nixon chose the larger over the latter because the mainland proved far more lucrative. Not to mention causing a rift between the Soviets and China would be a victory for the US. Another example is the Laos rebels Hmong people trained by the CIA. Upon pulling out of the Vietnam, support was cut and these rebels are still being pursued to this day by the Laotian government (Refer to documentary “Hunted like animals” by Rebecca Sommer). Now it is Japan’s turn. When it all comes down to it, the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty is a piece of paper. If the Americans deem Japan to be a lost interest, it would not surprise me to the see the US pull out and watch Japan burn. It is not in the interest of the US to lose an ample amount of cash from doing business with China and losing American lives over a foreign land.

It reminds of the book “Japan Rising” by Kenneth Pyle. So far he has made correct predictions. China is rising, America is waning. I used to naively think that Japan can go down the road of Bhutan and focus on the GHI, or gross happiness index, but I was wrong. Japan is not self sufficient and it’s daily operations is committed to relationships with other countries and trade. I guess this Senkaku incident is indicative of the times ahead, an increasingly belligerent neighbor and a friend (no longer a friend, a would be friend) who will decide predictably to leave Japan in pursuit of larger interests. Most importantly though, Japan is most blameworthy for this incident. Japan will do well to realize sooner, not later, that it’s traditional role in an American led global stage is eroding faster than expected. As Pyle suggests, Japan may never be the leader, but it has been adept at maximizing her interests in different world stage, just enough to be prevalent. I don’t think all is lost for the island nation, Japan has miraculously survived strife through rapid changes when the end is near. However, it is much preferable that a progressive change will occur, instead of a whirlwind change due to the uncontainable frustrations of the Japanese people. A breakneck change can lead to unpredictable results for which there may be no precedent.

Economist BA

Honestly, IMO i believe this was a smart move by Japan.

I know it makes them look bad at the moment, but putting their pride aside and surviving to fight again tomorrow is the best move they can make.

Continuing to play games with China is bad for their health, because they WILL crush them if they have to.

http://www.billowykimono.com Senor Science

“I know it makes them look bad at the moment, but putting their pride aside and surviving to fight again tomorrow is the best move they can make.

Continuing to play games with China is bad for their health, because they WILL crush them if they have to.”

Last time I checked China started this whole spat with their illegal fishing

What is Japan supposed to do when their sovereignty is violated; bend over and take it?

http://www.keepingpaceinjapan.com Turner

We’ll see how a similar situation is played out between the US and Iran (though I believe the captain actually committed a crime… ramming boats, I mean): whether the release of two American hikers is dependent on the US’ returning Iranian prisoners.